Broken Kaleidoscope
by N1nj4 Grrrl
Summary: Savanna and Luar'ke-de one-shots  Rated for language, so on and so forth
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome! Broken Kaleidoscope is going to alternate between Savanna's and Luar'ke-de's POV in no real chronological order. Each chapter will be a one-shot, sometimes long, some times short, but always complete in its own way. I may pick up later where a segment leaves off, maybe not. These are to be flashes, glimpses into the minds of two people that are pretty unlikely to ever have had anything in common and how (eventually) they come to be allies. The first starts off with a much younger Luar'ke-de, before he was ever an Arbitrator trying to help his blind brother.**

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_Texas, late 1800's_

I had been following them for three days. Watching, waiting. From what I had observed, though they were ooman, they were also Bad Blood and I had very little tolerance for that kind. They seemed to have no notion of what honor was, or mercy, or pride. They were strong only because they were with each other, but how long would that last? There were eleven of them and I was witnessing the theft of a herd of those swift quadrupeds… I think the oomans called them "horses". If I hadn't been so curious to see how long it would take for someone of real worth to end their pitiful existences, I would have done so myself three days ago.

The planet's star shone brightly overhead and I was thankful for my mask. With the radiant heat of the desert, it would have been difficult to see properly without it. I was cloaked so the full-spectrum rays of the star passed me by, but I was comfortable and the heat around me was pleasant. A little cool perhaps, but comfortable. Night would be chill, but that was what shift suits were for.

The oomans laughed while they worked. They were braver than I had thought, doing what they were in the light of day, but perhaps they knew what I didn't. There didn't seem to be anyone else around, but the holding yard held a good twenty, healthy beasts. _Someone_ cared for them in this wasteland, and cared well. Pulling my ceremonial knife, I stabbed down without looking away from the oomans at a long, legless reptile. It seems that it had decided that the rocks and scrubby plant life I was using to conceal myself further with would make a nice place to rest. I didn't feel like sharing, but perhaps I could use the skeleton and make a gift for one of the females back on the homeworld.

The loud crack of a gun echoed over the sand, panicking the horses and causing one of the oomans to drop where he stood. I turned my attention to the figure stepping away from the main building, gun held up and likely already aimed on another of the males. I tilted my head with a frown, confused. A female? This made little sense. Ooman females were small, fragile, weak creatures that depended heavily on the males. But this female was dressed like them and didn't seem to care for the look of any of the males before her. Then again, they _were_ stealing and not bringing her gifts as they should.

"**Well looky here, boys! We got ourselves a fiery one! You did us a favor, darlin'. Now we only gotta split the money ten ways.**" said one of the males with a grin. His hair was dark but hidden under one of those "hats". The others left the dead male where he was and none seemed bothered in the slightest.

I couldn't see her facial expression from under a similar hat, but she didn't seem pleased, "**Oh, an' here was me thinking' you boys were too stupid to count. Silly me. Now are ya smart enough to know when to walk away? Ah reckon **_**that's**_** the real question.**"

She was sassy, that was certainly true. I settled in to watch, amused. The ooman males laughed, and the shortest of the group, a male that would have reached maybe five nok, spat on the ground between them. I scowled at the blatant disrespect but he seemed pleased with himself, "**Nice thing 'bout countin', sweetheart, is that we know you only got five rounds left in that little gun, if that. Five an' ten, honey. Either way, yer gonna be entertainin' some a' us before too long.**"

Her mouth pulled in a fierce grin and she raised her other hand, revealing another gun; a twin of the first, "**That's why Ah got **_**this**_** as well. Now, you boys be good and mosey on, 'afore Ah gotta kill the rest a you worthless bastards.**"

I hoped she killed them all. She would be quite fun to hunt and I would even wait for her to get more ammunition or other weapons. I wanted a real challenge against a worthwhile opponent and this female was the best prospect I'd seen so far. Perhaps if the hunt proved challenging enough, I would even honor her by wearing her skull, telling any that asked of her bravery and honor.

"**C'mon now, honey. We're doin' you a favor! How can one little girl like you take care of all this **_**and**_ **these horses?**" the short one asked, though not as relaxed as he'd been.

"**You'll find that a woman with a lot to lose is willin' ta do whatever it takes ta keep it. Now go on, git! Ah don't want you here an' yer spookin' my horses.**"

The first male that spoke tried to draw his gun, but died before getting it aimed. The female picked off three more and ducked beside the dwelling, using it for cover. That spoke well for her intelligence. She would have looked very brave and daring standing in the open, but the quick death would have been pathetic and disappointing to watch. I watched one of the males make a show of running away, but she was too busy to notice when he used the terrain to cover his way back, circling behind. I noticed, however.

Frowning, sure that I would regret this later, I made my way after him, pocketing the dead reptile and sheathing my knife. I kept low and silent and the foolish creature had no notion that Cetanu was fast approaching. This would require very little skill and if it wasn't for the fact that I didn't want to see that female get killed by this tarei hsan, I wouldn't bother. This would be very unsatisfying.

The oomans were still shooting at each other which meant that the female still lived and I followed the stupid one, keeping him in plain sight. He hesitated, then ran for the building the female hid behind. By this point, I was walking normally and not bothering to hide behind anything other than my cloaking ability. Why bother? The male crept up behind the female while she was distracted, far more silently than I would have given him credit for, and aimed his gun. He pulled a piece of metal on the back toward him and the gun clicked. The female turned then and I knew she wouldn't get her weapon aimed in time, but I was there so she didn't have to.

My wrist blades went through him easily and her eyes went wide. The male jerked, choking on his own death, and I dropped him to the dirt. A bullet from the last ooman sank into the wood next to my head and I turned with a growl to aim my plasma caster at him, but she beat me to it. Heat was a fine mist behind his head and he dropped, lifelessly. The horses of the males milled around, confused but unhurt, as were all of the other horses. It would seem that the female was quite the marksman. Too bad we just saved each others' lives. I'd have to look elsewhere for my hunt.

She turned to me slowly and took a step back, "**Howdy, Mr. Ghost. Are you friendly or should I be prayin' ta the Almighty for intervention?**"

I tilted my head, then dropped my invisibility and she took a wary step back. I replayed her voice back to her, "_**Mr. Ghost**_." and shook my head slowly. She gave an equally slow nod.

"**Ah. Right then. You got a name, then**?"

I nodded. She stared at me, then frowned, "**Well are ya gonna tell me, or not**?"

I pretended to think about it, amused once more, then gave her a firm nod. Again she stared, then huffed and stomped her right foot in irritation. I'd have grinned if not for my mask. Yanking the hat off her head, she shook her finger at me and I nearly laughed at the ridiculousness of it. Being scolded by an ooman! Ha!

"**Now you listen here, whatever you are! Ah'm gonna keep callin' you Mr. Ghost whether you like it or not unless you give me yer name, ya ken? Ah'll not have strange, nameless, reptilian folk like yerself runnin' around! Yer only allowed two outta the three! Got it**?"

I had to force myself not to laugh, though it wasn't easy. Instead, I rumbled a growl, puffing up as though angry. She waved me off, unimpressed, "**If you were gonna kill or hurt me you'd have done it already. Yer name, sir. Now**."

I sighed, deflating. She had nerve, this ooman. Oh well. I shook my head a bit, then regarded her curiously, "Luar'ke-de."

She grinned and held her hand out to me in greeting, "**Well, howdy, Mr. Loo-ahr Keeday. Ah'm Rachel. Nice ta meet ya!**"

I tilted my head, staring at her hand. Reaching out, I took it and turned it this way and that, then looked up in time to watch her laugh at me. I gave an annoyed huff and dropped her hand, then held up one clawed finger with a growl. She quieted and I took her shoulder, giving it a shake. Grinning brightly, she returned the gesture, then gave me a hit on the arm and walked away, promising me a "glass" of something called "whiskey".

"**It'll put hair on yer chest, right 'nuff. Looks ta me like you could use it too."**

This has been one of the stranger visits I've made to this planet…

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**Tarei hsan- worthless opponent**

**nok- about 13 inches  
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**If you liked, please review and let me know! If you didn't, please review and tell me why! If you have a request for a scene you've been curious about, ask and I may accommodate you (unless it gives the plot of Gray Possession away...)! Either way, review, please! Consider it your good deed for the day. *^.^***

**I own nothing, not even a kaleidoscope. **

**Happy Reading!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Why, hello there! It's been quite a long time, hasn't it? Between classes, homework, and Gray Possession**,** I just haven't had time for this one. But here is another short story! Just for you (yes you)! This one is from Savanna's POV, as promised, and the next will be Luar'ke-de's POV again**. **I hope you like it!  
**

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"Where is your sister?" my mom growled, leaning on a shovel and wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. The action left a smudge behind and she either didn't notice or didn't care.

I sighed, rolling my eyes. This always happened and I was somehow always the one responsible. I looked at the garden we were putting in in the backyard, but didn't really see it. Jessie was a free spirit, always making up wild stories and getting into trouble while going off on adventures with creatures only she could see. I thought she was crazy. A lot of other people thought she was crazy as well, but Mom always defended her.

Unless, of course, there was work to be done. Then Jessie's tendency to run off was my fault, "I don't know, Mom. She said something about aliens when she headed off to the park."

Mom gave an irritated huff, hands on her hips, and peered at me with her blue-green eyes from behind a frown, "Go and find her. She promised to help with the garden and I'm holding her to it."

I withheld another sigh, pretty sure it would land me into trouble, but grumbled ungraciously, "_Fine_."

"Don't you take that tone with me, young lady!" Mom frowned again, stern and unamused, "Now go find Jess."

"Yes, Mom." I muttered. I was thirteen! I shouldn't have to go chasing after my eight year old sister! This was totally unfair!

But I washed my hands with the hose and trudged off down the sidewalk toward the park. The sun was directly over head, the day a typical, hot and muggy July day, and I was in no mood for this. Jessie was _totally_ gonna get a piece of my mind when I found her and I grumbled under my breath the whole way.

Fortunately, the park wasn't too far a way, just a couple of blocks, and I passed older homes with large, stately trees in their front yards. Some of the trees were pruned strangely to keep clear of power lines, but for the most part, it was a quiet, pretty neighborhood. Not that I'd ever admit that out loud, though. I was old enough to be treated with respect and taken seriously now, after all.

The park itself wasn't large, but there was enough equipment to keep the kids amused for a while. Swings, slides, teeter-totters, merry-go-rounds, jungle gyms and monkey bars, all painted in bright, primary colors that hurt your eyes to look at too long. There was also a pond a short ways off that was well-maintained with large trees and benches. That was where I found Jess, covered in mud and facing down a few boys from my class with a large stick and a rock.

I stared in shock for a moment, listening to the exchange of insults, before moving in, "What on earth is going on?"

"She's fucking crazy!" said the boy in the front, his language stiffening my spine and forcing my mouth into a tight, disapproving line, "Look at her, covered in dirt and talking about _aliens_!"

His dark eyes were disgusted and he gave a toss of his head to get his black bangs out of his eyes. Out of the three, Greg was the biggest, his family was wealthy and well-known. A lot of the girls in my class thought he was cute, but I'd always thought he was an idiot and the other two with him weren't any better. The one on his left, Kyle, had dirty-blond hair and grey eyes, while Brad on Greg's right was a ginger with blue eyes. I always wondered if they had coordinated that on purpose, but at the moment, that hardly mattered.

Jess held her stick as though it were a sword, blue-green eyes fierce and her mouth set in a grim sneer. Where did she get that attitude from? I looked the boys over again and noticed the bruises and welts forming on their arms and legs. I couldn't help but grin. That was _my_ sister, "Crazy or not, it looks like she's more than a match for you three. Maybe you should go, huh?"

Greg gave a disgusted snort and led the way as they left the park, Brad favoring his right leg a bit. I turned to Jess and sighed, "Mom's mad at you, and she's gonna be livid that you're covered in mud."

She tossed her weapons aside and looked down at herself before meeting my eyes, "But it's camouflage, Anna! Without it, the aliens will see me. You know, like in Rambo when he's all covered in mud!"

"This isn't a movie, Jess! There are no aliens, and it's just mud. Come on, or Mom'll throw a fit."

"Alright, but you know, mud might save our lives some day!"

We threaded our way through the park and head home and I gave an annoyed huff, tossing Jessie a look that said exactly what I thought about that, "Mud doesn't save lives, Jess. It's just messy. And aliens don't exist, you know."

A breeze picked up then and as we walked by an older tree, one of the branches shifted in the wind to make a warm clicking sound. Jessie gave me a look and I rolled my eyes. Why me? It was totally unfair.

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**Oh, I do love foreshadowing, Lol! :-D I hope you guys liked this little glimpse at a much younger Savanna and Jess. It's short, but was a lot of fun to write. If you liked it or didn't, please review and let me know!**

**I own nothing! ^.^**

**Happy Reading!**


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